GrantRadar

The National Lottery Community Fund

National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment

Grants of £300 to £20,000 for community-led projects in England that help people connect with and care for nature where they live, or make a positive difference to the environment, such as community gardens, rewilding, outdoor learning, repair and reuse, food growing and waste, tree planting and solar panels for community spaces. It can fund new or existing activities, one-off events with clear environmental benefit, and running costs. Organisations that already hold an Awards for All grant cannot apply.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£300 – £20,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Organisations in England: constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups or clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, community interest companies, community benefit societies, statutory bodies such as local authorities, and schools where the project brings the school and local community together or uses school facilities for community activity outside school hours
  • You need at least two unrelated board or committee members (directors for companies)
  • Not eligible: organisations with a current National Lottery Awards for All England grant that has not finished or an application awaiting a decision, organisations that have had £20,000 from the programme in the last 12 months, individuals and sole traders, organisations outside the UK, profit-distributing companies (including companies limited by shares), applications written by consultants or private businesses, and applying to more than one Fund programme for the same project
  • Religious organisations can apply for projects that benefit the wider community without religious content

What it funds

Community-led projects meeting one of two priorities:

  • Help people connect with and care for nature: improving local green spaces (community gardens, shared growing spaces, rewilding or restoring neglected green areas) and connecting people to nature (forest schools, outdoor learning, nature activities for people who do not usually access green spaces)
  • Make a positive difference to the environment: sustainable activities (repair and reuse sessions, food growing, food waste redistribution, nature-based climate solutions such as urban tree planting) and carbon reduction and energy savings (solar panels in community spaces, sustainability workshops, climate awareness campaigns)
  • The money can:
  • Start a new activity or continue an existing one
  • Help the organisation adapt to new challenges
  • Run one-off events with clear environmental benefit
  • Costs can include:
  • Running costs
  • Help from a nature organisation
  • Equipment
  • Staff
  • Training
  • Transport
  • Utilities
  • Volunteer expenses
  • Small land or building improvements (you must own the property, have a lease of at least 5 years or written landlord confirmation, and landlord approval)

What it will not fund

  • Activities or costs that only involve animals (animal projects must benefit people and communities)
  • Projects that benefit only a limited group rather than the wider community (such as solar panels for a sports venue or school pupils only)
  • Projects without clear local community impact
  • Activity that duplicates the school curriculum or happens in school hours
  • Costs already incurred
  • Alcohol
  • Contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
  • Paying someone to write the application
  • Fundraising or revenue-generating activities
  • Recoverable VAT
  • Religious activities
  • Statutory services
  • Overseas travel or activities outside the UK
  • Private profit-making activities
  • Cash payments to individuals

How to apply

  1. Check eligibility and read the programme pages on priorities and what you can spend the money on
  2. Apply at least 16 weeks before you need the funding, using the online form (you can save and return)
  3. In 'Extra details about your project', select 'My project supports communities to be environmentally sustainable'
  4. Explain how your community has shaped the project, how it will benefit people and how you will remove barriers to taking part
  5. Upload a bank statement from the last 3 months, agree to the terms and conditions for grants up to £20,000, and submit
  6. The Fund reviews your application within 16 weeks and may contact you for more details
  7. If successful, funding is paid within 14 days; you then report on progress and share your project's story

Easy Read, PDF, video and British Sign Language versions of the application are available.

The Fund says it is receiving more applications than usual and may take longer to respond.

Have ready

  • Bank statement from the last 3 months (or a welcome letter for a new account, or a transaction listing with account details)
  • Safeguarding policy if working with children, young people or vulnerable adults

For land or building work, proof of ownership or a lease of at least 5 years (or landlord confirmation), landlord approval and possibly planning permission.

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